Marshwood, Noble primed for wrestling regionals

Friday

Feb 1, 2013 at 3:15 AM

By Mike Whaleymwhaley@fosters.com

DOVER — It’s a win/win situation Saturday for the Marshwood High School wrestling team. The Hawks get to host the Western Maine Class A championship meet, which they won last year. Matches start at 9:30 a.m.

Marshwood is the defending regional and state champ, coming off its first title in Class A after winning four Class B titles under Rix. The Hawks are hosting their first regional meet in Class A.

Rix talked about his team Monday and projected five of his wrestlers to be seeded No. 1. He said Thursday, although he couldn’t offer specifics because of a seeding embargo, that it ran pretty close to what he thought it would.

Western A coaches embargoed the release of the seedings because Eastern A teams are holding their seeding meeting Saturday morning before their meet in Skowhegan. The feeling is that Western A coaches did not want their seedings to affect the Eastern seedings with the state meet coming up Feb. 9 in Augusta.

He added that senior captain Elliot Allen would be seeded second behind Noble’s Bill Gagner at 113 and senior Tyler Davidson would also be second at 120 to Massabesic’s Lucas Dion.

Hughes will continue to wrestle with a protective mask. The sophomore, who was the outstanding wrestler at the 2012 Class A championship, ran into a wall in the preseason and loosened several teeth. He has worn the mask since he started wrestling in early January.

“We’ll keep the mask on as a safety precaution,” Rix said. “We don’t need anyone rushing up to him. He looks more intimidating anyway.”

Hughes is one of four returning state champions, along with Janes, Davidson and Jackson Howarth.

“Those three guys will lead the way,” said DeVoll, who added that Marshwood and the Knights each have 12 wrestlers seeded fourth or higher.

“Noble will have some tough kids, but I think it will come down to us and Massabesic,” Rix said. The Mustangs were runners-up to Marshwood last year at both the regional and state meets.

Noble, which has won 11 Class A state titles since 1999, has rebounded admirably from its worst season in at least 15 years and will battle for a top-three spot with the Hawks and Massabesic.

“Last year we learned a valuable lesson,” said DeVoll, whose team went through a academic and discipline meltdown on the eve of the 2012 regional. The Knights were a disappointing fourth at the regional and seventh at the state meet. “Usually we have one or two kids who don’t make grades, but we didn’t lose one kid. That was a big accomplishment. Everyone stepped up and helped each other out. We made it into a positive. We made kids focus on grades and made them realize that with wrestling, football or anything, school is first.”

Other Knights who will be in the mix include Joe Langley (106), Devin Bourque (126), Jesse McNally (138), Otto Kreisker (145), and Joe Grenier (152).

“We’re excited to go to Marshwood,” said DeVoll, who has a half dozen freshmen and sophomores starting. “Marshwood’s the team to beat. We need to wrestle above our heads and we need some help. We’ve been improving throughout the season. We’re chasing (Marshwood), which is a place we haven’t been in a long time, being the underdog.”

Marshwood and Noble wrestled head to head for the only time this season last Saturday at Kennebunk with the Hawks winning, 44-33. Massabesic was also there, but sent a small, non-competitive team.

“One match could have swung it either way,” DeVoll added. “We get a pin and suddenly we win by one point. It showed the kids they have improved and they can hang with Marshwood.”

Other Marshwood wrestlers who could advance to the state meet are Darren LaPointe (106), William Bellottie (126), Trevor Smith (132), Terence O’Brien (160) and Eric Pratt (220).

The Hawks received a major blow when Dan Lizotte at 195 was removed from the team for “violation of school policy,” according to AD Rich Buzzell. An inexperienced wrestler will now step into a weight class where the Hawks had top-three potential.

“We’re hoping for a good day,” Rix said.

Last year, Marshwood advanced in all 14 weight classes. That is a long shot this year, but the Hawks still could send as many as 12 to Augusta.

“The kids are excited,” Rix added. “They’re excited to be having it at home. I thinks we’re peaking at the right time.”

Rix added that while two of his wrestlers are unbeaten in their weight divisions — Hughes is 16-0 at 152 and Gerry is 24-0 at 182 — no Marshwood wrestler is undefeated overall. They’ve all suffered at least one loss, sometimes wrestling up or down against stronger competition.

“We wanted them to learn how it feels,” he said. “We had a tough enough schedule where they got that feeling. That’s a good thing.”

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The doors open Saturday at 8:30 a.m. Ticket prices are $5 for students and $8 for adults.